It is possible you've never seen one of these—or even know what it is—but in the mid-20th century, it could be found in almost every American kitchen. .

Patented as the Food Breaker in 1932, this multi-pronged metal and bakelite tool was the invention of an Ohio man named Cale J. Schneider. Though able to serve a variety of "food breaking" needs, it was primarily marketed as a way to slice cake without putting any undue pressure on the delicate beast; Angel Food Cakes, and their ilk, were particularly susceptible to the squash-factor.

Following his death in 1971, the New York Times ran an obituary on May 29th in which Schneider is described as the inventor of a "cake breaker to slice the softest cake . . . currently in use as a comb for Afro-American coiffures."

There are plenty of original Schneider Cake Breakers available online from Etsy or Ebay, and a few firms still manufacture them today.

Side note: Schneider also invented sweet corn holders called Kob Knobs and a Food Slicer. The guy was really into prongs.